Draco and Harry: Escorts in Exile

Chapter Four

"Mr. Malfoy, you have heard the testimonies of Miss O'Leary and Mrs. Aubrey?" Umbridge asked, almost politely.

Draco bit back a sarcastic comment. If he said no, would Marietta be required to read the entire record aloud? It was a tempting consideration, but he was already tired of the whole proceeding and simply wanted it to be done with.

"Yes, I have, Minister," he replied smoothly.

"Can you refute their testimony?"

"Indeed. To begin with Maeve's tale, she is apparently under the impression that I engineered events in order to cause her harm. In actuality, my appearance in Ireland was purely accidental. When I stumbled upon Maeve's cottage, I had no idea who she was, nor that she had any prior association with my family."

"Accidental. Do you admit you traveled to Ireland by Portkey?"

"I do."

Neville interrupted. "How did you come by this Portkey, Mr. Malfoy?"

"I found it," Draco said, and willed Potter to clamp his jaw shut. He fully expected Harry to get them both tossed into Azkaban with his inability to keep his Gryffindor tendencies under control. "At the time, I was encamped on the outskirts of London. I was outside my tent and noticed what looked to be an ordinary piece of rubbish. When I picked it up, I was taken immediately to a wood in Ireland."

"Accidentally," Umbridge repeated in a tone of disbelief.

"Considering I was transported with neither wand nor shoes I would make that a definite yes. I was with several companions who can verify my unexpected disappearance."

Umbridge flicked a disdainful glance at Harry, as if she considered even the idea of testimony from Potter to be an affront. "They can be questioned later, if necessary. Do go on."

"After walking through the rain for several hours, uncertain as to which country I had been sent, it was a relief to stumble onto Maeve's residence." Draco left out the fact that the bloody wood had herded him to Maeve's cottage, likely by the same magic she had been trying to maintain by Draco's sacrifice. "She invited me inside and offered me both food and drink. Unfortunately, the drink happened to be laced with both Veritaserum and a sleeping potion."

Umbridge made a scoffing noise. "Why would she do that when she had only just met you?"

"Apparently she recognized me at the son of Lucius Malfoy."

Neville cut in. "Did you identify Draco as a Malfoy, Miss O'Leary?"

Maeve grimaced. "How could I not? He gave me a false name, of course, but I knew who he was. Look at him--he's the bleeding image of Lucius Malfoy."

Draco looked at Harry, who grinned wryly and shook his head almost imperceptibly. For some reason, it gave Draco a warm feeling.

"Go on, Mr. Malfoy," Neville said, but Maeve interrupted.

"He told me that he'd been sent to Ireland by someone named Ron Weasley."

Draco smiled, inwardly cursing the bitch for dosing him with Veritaserum and causing him to spill all manner of truths. "At the time I believed it to be true."

"Why would you suspect Ron of sending you away?" Percy asked, interjecting a comment for the first time, likely hoping to defend his brother.

"Ron believed his wife to be carrying a bit of a torch for me... at the time," Draco admitted. Which was perfectly true, although it had actually been the idea of Draco shagging his best friend that had sent the Weasel over the edge. Percy scowled and several sets of eyes fixed on Hermione, who flushed to her roots. Draco refrained from blowing her a kiss, barely. Neville was looking pointedly at Maeve.

"Did you, in fact, administer Veritaserum to Draco Malfoy?" he asked.

"I... I did," she admitted.

"Without Ministry sanction?"

"We have reviewed Maeve's case in regards to the Veritaserum incident, and she has been given a pardon," Umbridge stated smugly.

Draco saw Neville's hands clench. "You pardoned her, even though her actions had a direct bearing on this case?" Neville growled. Umbridge smiled, her wide mouth stretching with satisfaction.

"Yes. The hearing was held the day before yesterday, prior to Mr. Malfoy being taken into custody. She admitted her guilt and has been chastised."

"Chastised," Neville snapped. "My client is on trial for administering a potion, as well. Do you plan to give him the same chastisement?"

The smile left Umbridge's face. "Mr. Malfoy administered an illegal and dangerous potion, Mr. Longbottom. Do not presume to question the decisions of this Court simply because you do not agree with them!"

Neville dragged in a breath and only Draco was near enough to see him struggle for control. Draco had to admit that an angry Longbottom was a novel sight. Neville had finally grown into his Gryffindor potential, apparently, and he was a good deal braver than most if he took on Umbridge frequently.

"My apologies to the Court," Neville said in a placid tone. "What happened after you were unwillingly given Veritaserum and ... what was it? A sleeping potion?"

"Yes. Well, I don't remember anything after that, until I awoke bound to an ancient stone altar with Miss O'Leary standing over me with a very large dagger, intending to cut out my heart."

"Speculation on the part of the witness!" Umbridge said loudly.

"Which part?" Harry yelled. "The bit about the altar, or the bit about cutting out his heart?"

Umbridge turned on Potter like an enraged ghoul. "Mr. Potter, you have been warned about speaking out of turn. Do not do so again."

Neville asked quickly, "Mr. Malfoy, are you speculating in regards to the sacrifice?"

"No. Maeve stated to me directly that the wood required a blood sacrifice in order to renew the spell that kept it protected from the Muggles."

"Is this true, Miss O'Leary?"

Maeve scoffed. "Of course not. Blood sacrifice was banned before my lifetime. The potions must have addled Mr. Malfoy's wits."

Harry made a ridiculing sound and Umbridge glared at him. Draco noticed Harry was absently rubbing the back of his right hand, as if afflicted by an old wound.

"Very well, assuming you did not intend to plunge a knife into his chest, is it nevertheless true that you bound him to an altar?" Neville asked.

"No, I did not."

Draco thought Harry was going to come over the railing. A sharp cough from Neville steadied Potter, thankfully, and he sat back with features taut and angry. Umbridge watched Harry with a smile playing about her horrid lips, and Draco suddenly knew she would be ecstatic if Potter caused a scene.

"I assume you have an explanation for how Malfoy came to be bound to an altar when prior to that he was drugged senseless in your house?"

"I do not. I took him to Rock Close so that he would not awaken in my house. Once he was beyond the boundary of my forest, he would not be able to find his way back again. I expected that someone he knew would be looking for him." Her eyes flicked to Harry. "I placed him on the altar, merely because of its convenient location, but he was not bound."

"And the knife?" Neville asked.

"What knife?" Maeve demanded. Draco almost grinned. The lying bitch was Slytherin through and through. It was almost admirable. "I assure you, the dagger Mr. Malfoy speaks of is purely a figment of his imagination."

"Isn't it fascinating that we both have the same figment?" Harry snarled. Umbridge looked like a spider with her eye on a very tasty fly as she stared at Harry.

"Mr. Potter, if you speak again, you will have a Silencing Charm placed on you. As it is, you will serve seven full days of incarceration for speaking out of turn, despite several warnings. Do you wish to say something more?"

Harry's jaw worked furiously, but he sat back, looking like a chained, extremely volatile, predator. Draco hoped Umbridge did not provoke Potter too far. Patience, Harry, he willed, but Harry was glaring at Umbridge with the utmost loathing.

"Finish this, Longbottom, before Potter explodes," Draco murmured.

"Did you keep the knife?" Neville asked softly enough that only Draco could hear.

Fuck. Draco thought back.

"No. We left it in the Druid's Cave. It could be retrieved, though."

"Too late--she can claim to have put it there herself. If you'd kept it, we could have traced it to her. Not that it would help."

"Is Mr. Malfoy finished, Mr. Longbottom?" Umbridge called in her falsetto voice.

"Not even close, you wretched bitch," Neville muttered. Aloud he said, "After you woke upon the altar, Mr. Malfoy, what happened next?"

"Maeve explained why she planned to sacrifice me. She raised the knife... and then Harry Potter was there. He hexed Maeve--Stunning her--and released my bonds. I used a Memory Charm to remove Maeve's memory of us, considering her reaction to my father's name; and the fact that she had nearly killed me. I wanted only to return home and forget I had ever been to Ireland."

Umbridge spoke to Marietta. "Please make a note that any attempt on Mr. Malfoy's life is unable to be proven and may be pure prevarication on the part of Draco Malfoy."

Harry hissed loudly as Marietta scribbled, and though several pairs of eyes shot to him, he said nothing identifiable. Draco chuckled silently, realizing Potter was speaking Parseltongue. Though he could only imagine what Harry was saying; it was most likely not flattering to Umbridge. Her eyes narrowed at the Gryffindor, but she plainly could not challenge him for hissing.

"When we arrived at Malfoy Manor the next day, Maeve was waiting for us, after apparently freeing herself from the Memory Charm." Draco had left out the fact of their spending the night in the Druid's Cave and Apparating back to England. That was something neither the Ministry nor Neville needed to know. "She hexed me with a full Body-Bind the instant I stepped inside the door of my own house and then Stunned Potter when he followed. Maeve's claim of self defense was bollocks--Potter never even got a chance to pull his wand out."

Maeve started to speak, but Neville glared her down. Draco continued, "She then took a love potion from her robes and poured it down my throat while I was immobile. It was sheer coincidence that Ron Weasley walked around the corner and saw her. He stopped her with a Stunner and released the spell on me."

"Why did the love potion not take effect immediately?" Umbridge asked with a dubious tone.

"It wasn't attuned, obviously, and she did not have a chance to activate it. I kept my eyes closed once I could move again."

"And you kept them closed for how long?" Umbridge sneered. "Weeks?"

"Only a few minutes, actually," Draco admitted.

"And?"

"And then the potion was triggered by Harry Potter."

The gallery erupted into a buzz of conversation. Umbridge and her idiotic hemming were completely drowned by the din and she had to stand up and shout for order. She glared about malevolently, sparing no one, until the room was quiet once more.

"You fell in love with Harry Potter?" Neville asked quietly, "Because of the potion?"

Draco allowed himself one soft glance at Harry, whose eyes sparkled in return. Malfoy had been hopelessly in love with Potter long before Maeve's potion, but it had been an interesting addition.

"Yes," he replied. "Luckily, there was enough potion left in the bottle for analysis. We acquired an antidote, of course."

"And Maeve?"

"I planned to restore her once I determined a way to keep her from trying to murder me," Draco said dryly.

"A process that took over seven months?"

"I was delayed. I was held against my will in a Scottish dungeon for six months by a former Death Eater. It was his intention to release a deadly spell on the wizarding community during the Quidditch Finals."

Umbridge waved her hand dismissively.

"Which is to say, all we have is your word that you planned to give Maeve the antidote. Eventually."

Draco shrugged, knowing he had little defense for leaving the raving bitch under the spell of the Obedience Potion. Not for the first time, he regretted not slashing her throat and leaving her body to rot in Ireland. Of course, Harry would have stopped him and they would still be in this boat. He sighed.

"I think saving the wizarding world from a psychotic madman might count as extenuating circumstances," Neville interjected.

Umbridge made a scoffing noise. "We're not here to judge under what conditions Mr. Malfoy might have administered an antidote. We're here to determine whether or not he did, indeed, dispense a dangerous and illegal potion to Miss O'Leary. Seeing that Mr. Malfoy freely admitted to doing so--regardless of the circumstances--I believe the testimony portion of this trial can be concluded."

Harry's eyes were flashing again and Draco sighed. This was not going to end prettily.

"We will now have a show of hands. I should like to recommend a sentence of no less that ten years in Azkaban for this heinous crime," Umbridge stated. Draco sucked in a breath at the unexpected sentence and Harry looked too shocked to even speak.

"I find such a sentence to be rather harsh, Minister," Neville protested and several voices rose in assent from the Wizengamot. "The potion did not cause any lasting damage and my client has stated his intention to reverse the effects. If Miss O'Leary was trying to kill him, his actions can be construed as self defense."

"I agree, Dolores," Kingsley said and was echoed by a large number of Aurors. "Perhaps a lesser sentence would be more fitting?"

Umbridge glared at the impassive faces ranged behind her and seemed to realize many of them would rather free Draco than see him imprisoned unfairly. She nodded.

"I seek only to prevent future crimes of this sort from taking place," she said in a self-righteous tone. "A harsh sentence can be a deterrent. However, since a firm hand is something not all can understand, I rescind the sentence to seven years. Those who believe Mr. Malfoy to be guilty as charged, please raise your hands."

A large number of the Wizengamot raised their hands. Draco counted quickly. Was it a majority? He noted Percy Weasley had jumped on the guilty bandwagon--the prat. So much for the Weasleys moving to Draco's good side.

"All opposed?"

Another set of hands rose, including Kingsley Shacklebolt's, Draco was pleased to note. Umbridge stood and held up a parchment that must have magically tallied the votes. Her eyes were on Harry Potter and her smile could not have gotten any wider.

"Very well. The majority has spoken. Draco Malfoy is hereby sentenced to seven years in Azkaban."

ooOoo

Harry was out of his seat with a denial bursting from his lips. Only the hands of the Aurors on either side of him kept him from leaping forward and strangling Dolores Umbridge with his bare hands. Harry was so enraged it did not even occur to him to use magic.

"HARRY!"

Only one voice could have penetrated the red haze of wrath that clouded his mind. Harry's gaze shot to Draco, who glared at him imploringly.

"No!" Malfoy said in a severe tone. Neville gripped Harry's hands a moment later--he must have sprinted from Draco's side to reach Harry so quickly.

"It's what she wants," Neville said urgently. "Look at her--she's itching for you to do something irrational!"

It was true; Umbridge was seated again, looking like a fat toad that had just swallowed the fattest fly imaginable. Her loathsome face peered at him expectantly. Harry's nails dug into his palms. For a moment, he was back at Hogwarts, helpless against her authority, forced to bite his tongue and bide his time. Well, he wasn't helpless now, was he? Harry took a deep breath and began to draw in his magic.

"Malfoy said if you use your magic today he'll never speak to you again," Neville said urgently. Harry gasped in surprise and stared at Neville in amazement. The blue eyes were serious. "I'm not sure what he meant, but those were his words."

Two Aurors were removing Draco's shackles, but Malfoy's silver gaze had not left Harry. The magic slipped away from Harry's grasp as though draining through a sieve. He glared at Draco.

"This is not over," Harry snapped.

"Of course not," Neville said simply. "I'll begin the appeal process immediately. They can't keep him in Azkaban that long for a bloody potion--the Minister is power mad. I'm not sure I agreed with Malfoy's suggestion that I begin bribing Ministry officials, especially as most of them are motivated by fear of Umbridge rather than monetary gain..." He trailed off, realizing the Aurors next to Harry could hear him.

"Don't worry," one Auror said. "Not many Aurors side with Umbridge. We keep hoping she meets a grisly end and Shacklebolt will become the new Minister." The Auror sighed. "Unfortunately, he has forbidden us to bring about such a happy accident. Good man, Shacklebolt."

Harry did not care about Ministry politics, or Aurors, or bribery. He felt nothing but ice-cold terror at the thought of Draco in Azkaban. He remembered what the place had done to Sirius, and he had been a dog most of the time! Hell, Harry remembered the chilling horror of merely being around dementors. Malfoy would be forced to endure them day in and day out for seven years? Something irrational. Harry was ready, willing, and quite able to do something irrational. Even if it meant Draco would never speak to him again.

"Can I see him?" Harry asked Neville, not quite ready to take that chance.

Draco had already been escorted away.

"I'll see what I can do," Neville said and hurried after Malfoy.

Harry's trial followed Draco's, though Harry barely paid attention throughout. The testimonies had already been heard and Harry had little to add. Umbridge lobbied for the use of Veritaserum, claiming personal knowledge of Harry's penchant for lying. At that point Hermione Weasley was removed from the courtroom for shrieking at the Minister. When the commotion died, the more rational members of the Court--most likely earning them the Minister's undying hatred--denied Umbridge's suggestion. Harry was certain that hatred grew when he was found innocent of all charges.

He was grateful for the verdict, although he wondered how much of it was based on the fact that he was still considered to be the Savior of the Wizarding World. He almost would rather have been sent to Azkaban with Draco. Not that they would have been able to see each other. From what Sirius had told Remus, it was a bleak, cold place, and prisoners were confined to their own private cells; and private hells. Umbridge would have to be satisfied with the seven-day sentence she had placed on Harry for speaking out of turn. Even that was to be served in the Ministry dungeons--not Azkaban.

To make matters worse, Harry had been denied the chance to see Draco, who had been taken to Azkaban that very day. The only communication they had been allowed were short notes passed through Neville. Draco had ordered him to remain calm and allow Neville to follow legal channels. Neville had been given access to Draco's funds in France to use for Malfoy's defense, or for bribery, or for whatever would get Draco the hell out of Azkaban as quickly as possible.

Harry paced in the study of number twelve, Grimmauld Place. He had quietly served his seven-day sentence. The damned bars could not hold him, but Draco's words certainly did. Hermione glanced up from her book now and again to watch him worriedly. Harry ignored her and mulled over possible solutions. Even if Neville succeeded in winning an appeal, it would likely take months to even schedule another trial. And unless Neville succeeded in bribing over half the Wizengamot, Harry did not even see the point. Malfoy still had no decent defense for turning Maeve into his human house-elf for months, regardless that the bitch had tried to kill him.

Harry stopped suddenly, remembering his last conversation with Neville.

"They seized Draco's Gringott's account, but they can't touch anything overseas, correct?" Harry had asked.

"Not without authorization from the countries in question, and that is never an easy task. Unless the Ministry is desperate for cash--or unless Umbridge carries her spite to a ridiculous extreme--they won't even attempt it."

"What about Malfoy Manor? Last time the Ministry got their hands on it, they burned it to the ground."

Neville had snorted. "They have no reason to burn it, at the moment. It was suspected of being Death Eater headquarters during the war, which is why it was destroyed. More likely, Umbridge will move into it. Draco still owns it, of course, but the Ministry will be free to use it until his release, in the absence of any heirs to take over. They will claim to be maintaining it for him, of course."

Harry hoped Neville had been joking about Umbridge. The very idea of that woman in Malfoy Manor made Harry's skin crawl. Thinking of her sleeping in Draco's room--in their room--made him want to vomit. He couldn't help Draco at the moment, but he wasn't about to allow Dolores Umbridge to get her twisted claws on Malfoy Manor.

"I'm going to visit Hedwig," Harry said suddenly.

"Harry," Hermione said before he went out. He paused and looked at her.

"He'll be fine. We're doing our best," she said, trying to sound earnest. Harry forced a fake smile, and knew that Hermione knew it was fake. He would rather not think of the fact that Malfoy had already spent a week in Azkaban. Only three hundred and sixty three weeks to go. The thought made him ill.

"I'll be back," he said hoarsely.

He made a quick stop in his room and then hurried to the attic. The instant he was alone with the owls, he Disapparated.

Malfoy Manor was tightly locked and magically sealed with Ministry spells. Harry, with wand in hand once more, barely paused as he dismantled the locks and wards, and went inside. He padded through the halls and took a quick inventory, glad to see the place was still empty. The only items visibly missing were those in the formerly-hidden basement, which had been stripped bare. Harry suppressed a flash of anger, knowing many of those items were Draco's only remaining link to his parents. Regardless that Lucius had died a Death Eater, Draco was still entitled to his childhood memories.

Harry sighed and got to work. Hermione would most likely send out a search party when Harry did not return, but he would worry about that later.

It was time-consuming. Darkness had fallen completely by the time Harry finished. It would have taken half the time with assistance, but Harry did not want to endanger his friends by confiding in them. Umbridge would likely have apoplexy the minute she discovered Malfoy Manor had disappeared. It was already Unplottable, but now that Harry had added a Fidelius Charm with himself as the Secret-Keeper, Draco's home was effectively out of the Ministry's grasp.

When Harry had finished, he grabbed his broom and Disapparated.